Will the Chevy Colorado Enlist With the Army?

Chevrolet is a very proud American brand, and it looks like the Chevrolet Colorado could be going through its paces to enlist in the armed forces. General Motors will spend a year testing a Chevrolet Colorado powered by a hydrogen fuel cell in partnership with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC) to see if the vehicle is fit for duty.

Why would the Army look to hydrogen cells? For one, its high low-end torque capability is better for handling off-road driving conditions. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles also utilize electric engines, which are quieter than traditional motors. TARDEC’s director, Paul Rogers, has also suggested that a hydrogen fuel cell’s by-product, water, might be useful to troops in difficult environments.

As the tests continue, Chevy and TARDEC will work very closely to make sure the Chevy Colorado is performing as needed. In fact, Chevrolet’s facilities are reportedly only 20 minutes away from TARDEC.

Executive director of GM’s global fuel cell engineering Charlie Freese told USA Today that “Hydrogen fuel cell technology is important to GM’s advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles.”

We’ll see if this hydrogen fuel cell development leads to a hydrogen-powered vehicle from GM available to the public, especially with hydrogen cars like the Toyota Mirai already being sold in California.